Saracens clinch promotion to end Premiership exile

NEWS: Saracens sealed their return to the English Premiership as they clinched promotion from the Championship with a 57-15 rout of Ealing on Sunday.

After winning the first leg 60-0 last weekend, Saracens were already on course for the top-flight and they wrapped up the mission with a dominant second-half display.

Held to 10-10 at half-time, Saracens turned on the power after the break and all five of the club’s British and Irish Lions, including England captain Owen Farrell, were able to come off by the 54th minute.

They were able to rest ahead of the South Africa tour after the second leg was turned into a formality by the points explosion.

Springbok prop Vincent Koch and two of Warren Gatland’s Lions, Elliot Daly and Jamie George, propelled Saracens out of sight immediately after the break with a flurry of three tries in 10 minutes.

Ealing had displayed spirit and endeavour until that point in front of a 2,000 crowd.

But Saracens’ one-year exile from the Premiership as punishment for repeated salary cap breaches has ended at the earliest possible opportunity.